₦airaland Forum

The price of kerosene has risen by over 150 per cent following the acute shortage of the product in many parts of the country, especially Lagos and its environs.

Investigations at the weekend showed that many marketers, including those who made arrangement with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to sell the product at only N50 per a litre did not have it.

Consequently, depot price of the product has increased from N40.90 to N102 per a litre, showing an increase of over 100 per cent in most depots visited.

An Apapa-based operator, who preferred not to be named, said: “There is no way we can sell kerosene at N50 per liter because we do not get it cheap. In fact, there are presently no depots that can sell at that price.”

The NNPC stations expected to sell at N50 per liter because the Corporation remains the sole importer of the product do not have stocks.

Some independent marketers, who got the product at N102 per litre, sold it between N120 and N150 per litre, depending on some factors, especially location.

A marketed survey in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) showed that many filling stations did not have the product.

The Acting Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division of NNPC, Ms Timinu Green, did not pick her telephone calls or respond to text messages sent to her over the issue.

But the Petroleum Products Marketing Company (PPMC) spokesman, Mr. Nasir Imodagbe, said in a telephone interview that: “I think there should be enough supplies because the refineries are doing well. I will find out the situation and let you know when work resumes on Monday.”

The Acting Secretary General of Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), Mr. Isaac Aberare, whose members are involved in the movement of petroleum products from one part of the nation to another said it is not clear why the product was not available at affordable prices.

Aberare said: “We are aware of the market situation, but cannot provide any explanation. It is the duty of NNPC and PPMC to explain to the consumers.

“There is no reason why consumers should be made to pay so much because we are not aware of any official change in the price of kerosene.”

http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/kerosene-price-rises-by-150-per-cent/

The Council of Legal Education yesterday said the National Open University of Nigeria, NOUN, had not been accredited to run Law degree programme. The Chairman of the Council, Mr. Onueze Okocha, who disclosed this in Abuja, said anyone studying Law at NOUN and hoping to secure admission to the Nigerian Law School was merely wasting his time and resources.

Speaking at a briefing to kick-start the 50th anniversary of the Nigerian Law School, Okocha said NOUN did not have the necessary prerequisites such as moot court, lecturers among others to run a degree in Law. Okocha advised those already studying Law at NOUN to transfer to accredited universities. He said: “It is foolhardy for someone to establish a university, put in his money and then choose to run an illegal Faculty of Law.” The chairman said the Council of Legal Education operated under the law and therefore would continue to implement the law.

Okocha also dismissed claims that the Council might eventually accredit the Law programme being run by non-accredited universities. He said: “I don’t want them to waste their monies and time. They should seek transfer to accredited universities.”

Also speaking, the Director- General of the Nigerian Law School, Dr. Tahir Mamman, said anyone who only wanted to have an acquaintance with the law, could go to a non-accredited university to sturdy Law. He said: “But if they want to become legal practitioners, they have to go to accredited universities.” Mamman said the list of universities accredited to run law programme had been published and anyone interested should endeavour to look for it before putting in for Law in any of the universities. Speaking on the proposed amendment of the law establishing the Council of Legal Education, Okocha said it would allow the Law School to be best administered.

http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/noun-not-accredited-to-run-law-programme-2/

Imagine the length of a standard train. Imagine the sea of passengers it discharges at a central train station. These capture the length of brothels and the number of commercial sex workers, their clients and others who love to savour their near naked sights. Welcome to Ijora railway sin plaza, the supposed largest concentration of brothels in the land.
[b][/b]
‘It is sad making love to someone you don’t love’

The houses, if they can be so called, are many. They lined the railway lines at Ijora in Lagos. Behind these is a sea of shanties. They all serve the same purpose. They serve as abodes for practitioners of the supposed oldest profession in the world – prostitution.

Imagine the length of a standard train. Imagine the sea of passengers it discharges at a central train station. These capture the length of brothels and the number of prostitutes, their clients and others who love to savour their near naked sights, at Ijora railway prostitute’s plaza.

These women of easy virtue, whom Saturday Mirror spent several weeks to understudy and interact with, sit in all sizes, heights and complexions. Their target for the day and night is to get as many patrons as possibly for fees ranging from N300 to N1000 per “round”. To achieve this, they device all sorts of marketing strategies.

Some wriggle their strategically exposed waists seductively to music belting out of surround speakers while some strut around with their waists, boobs, hairy groin bare. The Ijora railway prostitutes’ complex is a sweet and sour sight dotted with the usual filths and all forms of pollution that characterize a ghetto. Unconfirmed sources label it the highest concentration of brothels in Lagos nay Nigeria in general.

They all have their unique “stage names” which is usually English names, obviously to conceal their identity, especially their places of extraction. None of those who spoke with Saturday Mirror identified themselves by an indigenous name.

Speaking with Saturday Mirror, one of the commercial workers who identified herself as Joy, described her path to prostitution as fortuitous. Joy, as she calls herself, stands at five feet 11 inches. She is slim, fair in complexion has an oval face and a good command of the English language. She has everything that could win her a modelling contract. But she is a commercial sex worker.

However, there was no joy in Joy as she recounted her days in her chosen profession. “Do you think that this is an easy job?” she asked the reporter rhetorically when he enquired about the stress of the business.

“You can imagine when a woman would market herself to attract men to have sex with her just to make a living. It is not funny at all. The painful aspect of this job, for me, is when I make love to somebody I don’t have affection for just because I want to make a living. Forget the fact that you see me dancing around smiling and interacting with guys. The simple truth is that it is sad making love to someone you don’t love.

Recently, I came back from one of my away hustling (commercial sex outside the brothel) and when I lied down and was reflecting over my life, I wept,” Joy told the reporter as she stooped low and wept profusely. She continued: “I want to quit this job.

But I cannot do it right away because of family issues. I am the bread winner of my family for now. They don’t know what I am really doing here in Lagos but I have no choice for now than to do the job.

Immediately I have alternative, I will definitely quit this job.” Another commercial sex worker, Jane, said that “this job” is not for weak and fickle minded women but those who can identify “customers” in a fleeting moment and convince them to “sleep with them”. Asked how she was able to secure accommodation at the brothels she operates in, she said that she was “fortunate” to meet a man who helped her to pay her “sign-on-fee”.

“I thought I was somehow fortunate although what has happened over time has proved otherwise. When I learnt that there is a place here at Ijora where one can hustle and make a living, I came here to enquire. Fortunately, I met a young man who helped me to secure an accommodation. I had no money with me but he volunteered to pay the N10,500 that was required, for me,” Jane said.

Just like other professions, every day has never been Christmas for these commercial sex workers as the up and down of the business sometimes put them in trouble. There are weeks that business would be “so dull” that they would not be able to pay their weekly rent as at when due.

The rents are paid weekly, every Monday. The “landlords”, the owners of these brothels do not tolerate excuses. And any default in payment attracts fines in addition to the payment of the defaulted rent. The room can accommodate conveniently only a six-spring bed with little space left to contain not more than two people at a time.

“We pay N5,500 every week. It must be paid every Monday unfailingly. If we default, our rooms would be locked up. When this is done, we would have to pay additional N500 to open it, making N6000. That is not all. We also pay N1,800 for light and police. Our apartment has about 32 rooms and you can imagine what the landlord is making from us every week. That is why there is no osho free (no free sex) in this business. For us, time is money.

When it is hustling time, we don’t joke because we have to pay our bills. It is very important. Na wetin de make our eye dey red o (That is why we are always serious)” Jane revealed. Asked what the “police” fee is meant for, she said that “we pay this to the landlord to settle police so that they would not come here to raid us. If we don’t pay, policemen would come here to arrest us and take us to their stations and we would have to bail ourselves from there. “Instead of the disgrace and harassment, the owners of these clubs decided to be charging us the fee weekly so that they could settle them and keep us out of trouble. It is not easy at all.”

No fighting. Any altercation resulting in a brawl, according to Joy, attracts two penalties: the room is locked up and that means there would be no business for the culprit until her room is re-opened. And before that is done, a fine of N10, 000 must be paid as well as another N5,000 for the room to be opened for business.

With all the financial burden breathing down the neck of these Ijora commercial sex workers, it is an all month-round services. Saturday Mirror’s investigation revealed that there is “no dull moment 24 hours, seven days of the week, even during menstrual period”.

Why would they when “if you slack”, the bills would pile up and you would be ejected without “taking any of your properties” from the six-by-six cubicle they call room. So, Jane told Saturday Mirror that, “during menses, we use cotton wool to insert deep into our private part.

So, even if we are having sex, our customer would not notice that we are in our menses. The cotton wool would soak up the blood and when we feel heavy, we would go and put it off. It is very simple and I think there is no risk involved,” she seems so assured of the techniques. Despite the nature of their business, these women who trade their flesh for money still have time for romance.

They have boyfriends. “The guy that helped me secure my accommodation at this brothel later became my boyfriend. Although he knows what I am doing, he is in love with me and we have been carrying on as lovers.

He is the only one that I can kiss and have romantic affairs with. He is such a loving friend. Even when I could not hustle enough to pay for my rent for the week, if I call him, he could do that for me without complaint.

If I just call him now that I am sick, you would see him right here caring for me. He is such a good man” Jane revealed. This reporter summoned courage to ask Jane if she thinks that her boy friend is a lucky man or a good guy with a very bad girl.

Surprisingly, she stole a smile and later laughed out loud. “It is very unfortunate. Sometimes, good guys are not lucky to be with good girls. I would not say that I am a good girl, considering the kind of job I am doing. It is not what a girl would be proud of. Not at all.

But when it comes to loving him back, I think that I have tried my best. I cannot say I am faithful in the general terms of it.

But I am. I don’t have any other boyfriend. All other guys that come here do so strictly for business. I am not the only one that has a boyfriend here. Almost all my friends have their special man whom they have romantic relationship with.

All other men are just business associates. Even then, I would not say he is fortunate to have me as his girlfriend. He is too good. He is such a good man,” Jane said. While their boyfriends are aware of their profession, it remains a top secret to their families.

Daddy and mummy, brothers and sisters, must not know that they are prostitutes. “My parents don’t know that this is what I am doing. I don’t think that any parent would be happy to know such a thing. Not even my brothers and sisters whom I have been toiling to help. I am the first born of my parents. I have been married and divorced. It has not been well with my family and I see it as a responsibility on my part to take care of them.

That is why, as I said before, I decided to go into this. I am not proud of it,” Joy said. Most of them who interacted with this reporter speak fairly good English while two in particular, speak impeccable English.

But why they could not continue their education, they blame it on the economy and their poor background. “You said that you are surprised that I speak good English,” Jane asked this reporter when he complimented her command of English.

“I finished secondary school before I ventured into this thing I am doing. If I had somebody to sponsor me to the university, I would have. My parents do not have the wherewithal to do so and I tried my best to get something else doing but I could not. When I had accommodation problem, I was pushed to do this because I could easily hang out with one of my friends who was already into it. I was doing it on part time.

I gathered some money and paid my rent here and started it on full time basis. It is from here that I am able to help my parents,” Jane said. Speaking in the same vein, Joy said that “I managed to graduate from the secondary school before I got married.

I could not further my studies because of economic factors. In terms of speaking well, when you interact with people who speak good English, you will learn from them. I learn from people every day in the course of hustling”. All animals are equal but some are more equal than others, so said George Orwell in his famous book, the “Animal Farm”.

The maxim applies at the railway prostitute plaza. There are “special ones”. They are relatively young, cute and averagely pretty. And their charges are not negotiable. It is N1,000. No kobo less but there could be kobo more.

While cigarette popping guys discussed a certain “special gal” in one of the brothels as they savour some bottles of liquor, one boasted that, “I can take her for five ‘hundy’ (N500). Another said that he had tried to no avail.

Another who was hailed by his friends as “Wande”, revealed that he evaluated the personality, his worth and mien before such ‘outrageous’ charges wondering “why would I pay a girl here that kind of money when she would not allow me to romance her.

Sex is not all about intercourse. It goes beyond that and I would rather go to a club and take a girl to my house rather than pay this kind of money for a girl that would not even let me last for 15 minutes. ‘Bone that kind thing joo’ (forget her) lets finish and get out of here. Is it not the same thing she has that other girls have?”

Wande wondered. And Saturday Mirror decided to probe into the girl’s “special status”. Physically, she has the features that could make a priest break his oath of celibacy. She is articulate and soft spoken, diplomatic and friendly.

“Special Baby” is boldly written at the lintel of her decently dressed room. Asked why she considered herself special, she said that “it is all about what you think of yourself and how you carry yourself before people that make you special.” On her sex fee, she said that, “I cannot collect anything less than 1kay (N1,000).” And when this reporter offered her N500, she quipped: “Five hundred?

How many men would I ‘do’ to make it a day with such money. No. I don’t do it for such money. The stress would be too much for me. This job is very stressful and I am not ready to sleep with so many men before I can pay my house rents and other bills.

Excuse me, I want to go and buy fuel for my generator” she diplomatically discharged this reporter for offering her less than her fee. Saturday Mirror’s investigation revealed that the prostitutes generate their lights when the public power is off.

There were several “I better pass my neighbour” (small generators) at the back of the wooden brothels with its noise competing favourably with the deafening music belting out of the brothel’s hall. The veteran prostitutes have their stand and peculiar clientele. With sagged physical fixtures, they are no longer the delight of many young men.

The few drunks who stagger towards them obviously under the influence of alcohol are glad to relieve their stress on them. These prostitutes have come a long way. But it seems they did not make retirement plans for themselves as, despite their age, their depreciated physique, the only job they can do is to give sex for a fee.

“This is the job we have done all our lives and we cannot find something different to do at this age,” one of them confided on this reporter. “Who told you we have not done anything for ourselves. Some of us trained our junior brothers and sisters from the proceeds of this job.

Some of us have houses at our village still from this job. Just forget that thing oo, we are just catching fun at this level now,” one of the old prostitutes who identified herself as Gift boasted while the reporter queried her physical state wondering if she has benefited from the profession.

They all believe that time and tide wait for nobody and would not engage in frivolities that would not pay their bills for the week. Hence, any prospective customer that is not discussing “real business” is discharged with disdain.

However, some do so with finesse and in the process attract goodwill from the prospective clients. “I am not here to play around. If I want somebody to discuss with, I know where to go. If you no wan do, just get out of my room (If you are not ready for sex, go out of my room),” an obviously enraged prostitute who was not interested to entertain any form of friendliness with this reporter fumed.

http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/railway-sin-plaza-a-city-of-brothels/

One thing you can hardly take away from actress Ayo Adesanya is her versatility when it comes to acting. A graduate of Communications and Language Arts from the University of Ibadan, she told YEMISI ADENIRAN how she journeyed into acting, her exploits and many more.

How do you cope with the challenges of this job and life generally?

I see challenges as stepping stones to good success. Life is all about facing challenges. Anyone who runs away from challenges is not ready to move on with life. In life, we must surely face challenges but if we will see it as part of life, coping with it won’t be any big deal.

I thank God for giving me the ability to be focused in life. I don’t see what is stressing me; I see where I am going. I see whatever difficulty that comes my way as one of those things and just get on with life. I don’t allow situations to weigh me down, I rule situations around me. That’s my attitude to life and I thank God, He has been helping me.

Have you found another love?

Yes. I have found another love. Let me say I am in love with a person. I am into a new relationship.

Would you say love has been fair to you?

Yes o, love has been fair to me, and I thank God for that.

You are one of the sexiest actresses in Nigeria. What’s the sexiest part of you?

My eyes are the sexiest part of me, and people always talk about them. I thank God for endowing me with them and also for keeping them still. Some people have some things like some parts of their bodies working for them at one time but after a while, they don’t have them again. I thank God for making my eyes sexy and captivating. Not just the eyes but for everything good working for me. It is good to praise God always and for all things.

It appears you prefer the Yoruba movie caucus to the English. Why is this so?

I just feel I should go back to my roots. But that does not mean I don’t appear in English movies any longer. For instance, I acted in Iru Oka alongside Ramsey Noah, a Yoruba film while I was still in the English caucus.

So it was not as if I did not act in Yoruba before or that I have abandoned the English movie genre totally. No, I am still part of them and will yield to their call anytime. However, I just want to be fully with the Yoruba sector, it’s my root, I belong to them, I am one of them.

How would you compare the two worlds?

There is no much difference. The only difference is that Yoruba movies are richer in their story lines. They have very deep story lines that teach good moral lessons and expose all to our rich cultural heritage. I am not casting any aspersion on any tribe or group here; I am just giving a personal opinion.

Have you at any time been sexually harassed? What’s your view about the issue?

I have never had such an experience before. And to me, I did not believe any one is harassing anybody. If you are talented and you know what you are doing, nobody will ever harass or molest you. As a fine lady, you are bound to have admirers and that cut acrosses everyone and every profession, you know? It now depends on the way you handle it. If you choose to date the guy in question, it will be your choice and I believe that can’t be called a sexual harassment.

If you choose not to accept the offer of the proposing guy, no one will force you. No one has ever been reported for sexually harassing any one, not to my hearing. It is never a do-ordie matter. In short, if you know what you want, nobody can harass you.

Of all the films you have acted, which one will you say is most challenging?

I will say all my roles have been challenging. Take for instance, my role in Osuka, where I played two roles, was one very challenging. In that movie, I played a role of a young girl and an old woman, which was very challenging. Meanwhile, Amope Alasela, one of my recent movies too is also very challenging. In it, I played a dual role. I must tell you, it was very tasking too because I have to change many times to play the roles of two different people.

The director had to wait for me to change many times. There was a scene where both characters met. It was very challenging, quite demanding. I play very tasking roles which makes almost all my films very challenging.

http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/i-dont-joke-with-my-job-ayo-adesanya/

For 50 years and like the colossus that she is, veteran actress, Lanre Hassan Adesina, popularly known as Mama Awero, has made waves in the Nigerian world of entertainment. Hers is a very familiar face in both television soap operas and home movies. In this interview with YEMISI ADENIRAN, the 63 year old actress relives the memories of her younger days in acting, the challenges, her successful marriage and how she has managed to be relevant in the career up till now. Excerpts:

You started your career in acting at a time when acting was very unpopular. How did you manage to convince your parents to allow you pursue the career?

It was not easy at all. Apart from the fact that the career was not fancied by a lot of parents and people generally, we were not as bold as children of nowadays to voice out our intentions, dreams and all. Besides, those who were in the profession were not as prosperous as those of these days. So, there were a lot of issues. Actors and actresses in those days were seen and rated as never-do-wells.

So, acting was a no-go-career choice for anyone who wanted to enjoy his or her parents’ favour. However, it was my own passion and I was going for rehearsals secretly. One day, somebody hinted my guardian about it and in an uncommon rage, she came to the rehearsal center and dumped my belongings, warning me sternly never to come home again.

Why would I choose to be playing and wasting precious times around when my education was there to be faced squarely? She asked me over and over again. I pleaded to her, explained that I was not going to dump my education for acting and that both would not clash. Unfortunately, all pleas fell on deaf ears. She wouldn’t have any of them.

Did you pack out of the house as she requested?

I did not. I got some people to plead on my behalf and I told a lie that I was not going to go for rehearsals again. It was when I told her that that she took me back and I had my peace in the house. But like I said, I was going for rehearsals secretly after that episode.

How were you able to make real your career dream?

I owe that to God and Professor Wole Soyinka. And this was how. Just as we have talent hunt today, we also had it then. We were going to various places to practise one drama or the other. They would give you a script to read and act and if you were able to act it well or satisfactorily, you would be pencilled down for further competitions. The competitions usually took place at the University of Ife and people like Professor Soyinka were very much involved. It was just a stage play then.

The rule was, if you were handpicked and you performed well like I said, you would be given the opportunity of studying drama at the University of Ife It was a challenge and with Soyinka’s involvement, we were very serious about it.

All these while, I did not know that I was being noticed by the scouting group, but one day, I was informed that I had been pencilled down to go for this study at the University of Ife. When my guardian saw the letter, she asked me of its details and I told her.

She was impressed, especially with the involvement of somebody as highly rated as Professor Soyinka. She asked me to go that I had her blessing. That was how I went to study drama in Ife. I was very happy, especially because I did not have to make it a secret any longer.

How would you compare acting of those years with what is obtainable now?

They are poles apart. In those years, we were doing it for the passion we had for it; we were very committed and were not this attached to its monetary compensation. Generally, however, there has been more improvement in what we had then and now. Home videos have taken over from theatre and stage plays and I guess we are a lot better for it.

Is it true that the success of home video is responsible for the misfortune suffered by stage play?

Anyone can say so, but we must thank God for home video. If there was no home video, entertainment would have been dead in Nigeria. If home video was not there and people or lovers of theatre didn’t have an avenue to satisfy their need for entertainment, what would we have been talking about now?

Although the home video thing is not exactly what it should be, its presence has ensured that there is a form of entertainment for those who love the art. Home video is a bail out for entertainment lovers and it has really boosted the image of Nigeria in the outer world.

You are a role model in the industry. How did you manage to scale through scandals?

Scandals are not compulsory features of anybody. You don’t get scandalised if you have not given room for it. I don’t walk in the way of scandals, which explains why I have none to my person. And as for being a role model to many in the industry, I owe that to God. I was trained to be the best in whatever I do and that is what I am committed to. I only allowed the ‘what is worth doing at all is worth doing well’ saying to guide me.

What has this cost you over time?

Hard work. That is it. You can’t rest on your oars when a lot of people are looking up to you. I have had to put in more efforts on those things that appear well to the people, so I don’t let them down. And these you know go beyond just the acting work; it is about one’s person and all. Being a role model extends to one’s home, husband and children, friends and relatives. So, it is all encompassing.

What are the effects of your career on your home?

It’s just about more work, that’s all. I am as passionate with my career as I am with my home. And to keep both requires wisdom and a high level of commitment.

Was your husband an actor? No, he was not.

How was he able to cope with your career which takes you all over the place all of the time?

At the initial stage, he raised some dust but he cooled down after a while. This is because he met me as an actress before we got married; but you see, he thought I was going to quit acting after we married. So, when I still continued, he complained but like I said, he let me be when he saw that it was my passion.

Why didn’t you marry an actor like you?

Actors, for one reason or the other, especially in those days were most times polygamous. And why was this so? They had to be because they needed them to play all kinds of roles and once they married them all, it reduced their financial stress.

I did not want to end up in polygamy becausen I grew up in a polygamous home; and I tell you, the experience was not palatable. That was why I chose to marry someone outside my profession and I had no regret at all. The only pain I have is that he is no longer alive to enjoy more and see more of the success I have made of acting and of his children’s achievements.

What are some of your experiences in the polygamous home?

I cannot tell you all right now but I must tell you that it was the main reason I did not live with my parents. I lived with a guardian which you know is never the desire of any child. I did not enjoy my parents at all. Honestly, I will never advise anyone to keep a polygamous home, the disadvantages are more than its advantages no matter the angle from where we look at it.

Do you have any day you can never forget in life?

Yes, I do. In those days, I always went everywhere with my children, so, my husband wasn’t burdened by the responsibility. But one day, our vehicle broke down at Zungeru and we had to sleep on the road. I can never forget that day.

Other days that will linger on forever in my memory were the days I lost two of my children. One died while I was on the stage acting, the second one died on the day Baba Mero died. We both went for his burial. We were there a day before his burial. We slept and while I woke up, he did not wake up.

It was the hottest blow of my life. I almost pulled out of the profession.

How did your husband take it?

How else? He was very sad but he had to pull himself together as a man because he saw how I was going about it. He knew I love my job and that was what I was doing at the time. He also knew how much I value my children; they are my joy, my essence of living. But we thank God for everything; He alone knows why anything happens. Like I have also said, the day my husband died is another that I cannot forget.

When was this?

It was twelve years ago but I thank God we are able to cope till now.

Why did you not re-marry?

Why should I? What would I have said I was looking for? I had all my five kids for him. I was not barren, not looking for a child. My children are my husbands and I thank God for them all.

How would you evaluate your golden jubilee on stage?

I would want to than God who has supported me through thick and thin. I want to appreciate Him for the wisdom, the strength and the enablement He has given me to be part of the good history of the Nigerian entertainment world. I would want to appreciate my colleagues, both young and old, those up there and the ones coming up.

I would like to appreciate all my fans home and abroad for their love and to advise young actors and actresses to be more focused on making a good impact on their world in the best way that they know.

When will you finally retire?

I will act until I die.

http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/i-will-act-till-i-die-mama-awero/

Samoa Air has become the first airline in the world to introduce a ‘pay as you weigh’ system – charging passengers per kilogram rather than per seat.

The company claims their system is fairer than simply charging per seat, and that many families with children are benefiting from the scheme.

Under the new move, passengers input their weight into the airline’s online booking section.

Rates start from around 70p a kilogram for the total weight of the traveller and their baggage for the shortest domestic route.

The price goes up to around £2.75 per kilogram for the longer route from Samoa to American Samoa.

Pilot and chief executive of Samoa Air, Chris Langton, told ABC News: “Planes are run by seats, not by weight, and passengers should be educated on this important issue.”

“There is no doubt in my mind that this is the concept of the future. We always weigh the mass that is on an aircraft… It doesn’t matter whether you are carrying freight or people.

“Anyone who travels at times has felt they have been paying for half of the passenger next to them. The standard width and pitch of the seat are changing as people are getting a bit bigger wider and taller than they were 40-50 years ago.”

Langton also told Reuters, “The industry has this concept that all people throughout the world are the same size”. “Airplanes always run on weight, irrespective of seats.”

“There is no doubt in my mind that this is the concept of the future. This is the fairest way of you travelling with your family, or yourself.”

He added that it would raise awareness of public health and obesity issues. Speaking in The Sun, he said: “We have worked out a figure per kilo. This is the fairest way of you travelling with your family or yourself. You can put your baggage on, there are no extra fees in terms of excess baggage or anything, it is just a kilo is a kilo is a kilo.

A spokesman for Samoa Tourism said he believed the policy would also help with safety standards.

He told The Metro: “When you’re only fitting eight to 12 people in these aircraft and you’ve got some bigger Samoans getting on, you do need to weigh them and distribute that weight evenly throughout the aircraft, to make sure everyone’s safe.

The subject of charging overweight fliers more has long been a controversial issue in the aviation industry.

Last year, former Qantas economist Tony Webber suggested heavier people should pay more to fly.

Source: http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/airline-begins-charging-passengers-by-their-weight/

A classic example of how social media is affecting lifestyle choices happened a few weeks ago, when Nigerians went on different social media platforms to discuss the famous interview Channels Television, an urban TV station based in Lagos, held with the Lagos State Commander of Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, Mr. Obafaiye Shem.

Ironically, while responding to questions about NSCDC’s website address, the state commander made reference to his Oga at the Top and the subsequent debacle around his answer including clips from the interview went viral online.

Social media backlash quickly followed this interview and the My Oga at the Top was an instant hit, adding to local parlance catch-phrases. The creative industry jumped on it and several entertainers tapped into the commercial aspect of the situation, using the viral catchphrase to produce music, T-shirts, short documentaries, funny quotes, graphics and more.

On the frontline of this innovative parlance is Chief Executive of Wa a Gba Clothier, Wole Shodipe-Dosunmu, who said the slogan has increased sales at Wa a Gba greatly while maintaining that more orders for T-Shirts carrying My Oga at the Top,’ inscription is the order of the day for his business. For Wole, the whole thing actually started as a joke on the social media. But it became financially rewarding when the idea to meet an instant need of so many clients came to him.

“You can’t imagine the sales I have made. It started around 12 noon on that day; I designed a specimen and used the picture as my BlackBerry display picture, immediately clients showed interest. At first, I sold more than 200 pieces in just four hours, after which they kept on ordering for more”.

The T-Shirt goes for a price of N5000 and the young clothier confessed that he has been able to make hundreds of thousands in sales. “I don’t know for how long the order for the shirt will last, but I have sold more than 600 pieces in just a few days. This is what I call good business and it is simply what every clothier desires”.

http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/i-sold-200-oga-at-the-top-shirts-in-4-hours-wole/

Former Commonwealth Secretary- General, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, has said that it is the turn of Ndigbo to produce the next president of the country after President Goodluck Jonathan’s tenure.

He said a President of Igbo extraction must take over the mantle of leadership from President Jonathan whenever his tenure comes to an end.

Anyaoku, who stated this in a interview with journalists in his country home, Obosi, Anambra State at the weekend, during his 80th birthday anniversary celebration, said that whether Jonathan is leaving office in 2015 or in 2019, should he contest and win a second tenure election, an Igbo president should take over from him.

The former Commonwealth scribe insisted that equity demands that Ndigbo must produce the next president and take over from Jonathan because all other geopolitical zones of the country have produced the president at one time or the other except Ndigbo, who make up the South-East geo-political zone.

According to him; “It does not matter whether Jonathan is leaving office in 2015 or 2019, what matters is that an Igbo president should take over from him as a mark of equity and fair-play since no Igbo man has ever been elected as president but other geo-political zones have produced the president at various times.”

http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/presidency-its-ndigbos-turn-says-anyaoku/

The Nigeria Police yesterday hit back at its critics and recent poll results which indicated that the force was one of the most corrupt agencies of government, explaining that corruption is more of a societal problem than a police issue.

Pioneer Chaplain of the Nigeria Police Force Chaplaincy, Rev. Fr. Raphael Fagbohun, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, ASP, said corruption in the police is not an institutional phenomenon and therefore not peculiar to the police alone as it is a societal and personal issue.

Fagbohun, who spoke yesterday at the seventh anniversary celebration of the force chaplaincy in Abuja, also charged Nigerians to use their ethnic and religious leanings to promote the unity and continued co-existence of the country.

According to him, the singular purpose of establishing the chaplaincy was to eradicate corruption in the police through the instrument of spirituality to transform the officers and men.

He said corruption occurs both at a personal level and at the societal level, wondering why people tend to single out the police for public bashing and ridicule.

Fagbohun, who also declared that the force was not corrupt, said the organisation has dismissed so many of its personnel found wanting.

He argued that the force has the highest rate of such dismissals not because its men were the most corrupt, but because it does not condone corruption and other vices. “It is a societal issue that has to do with Nigeria as a whole.

It is a personal one that has to do with individuals. Every wise person knows that corruption is a Nigerian problem and not a police issue.

The police happens to be a part of the Nigerian society with corrupt individuals who are personnel of the force, which does not condone corruption. “The Nigeria Police as an organisation is not corrupt but upholds high discipline even till date.

A clear example is that it is the organisation with the highest number of dismissal rate of indiscipline officers in the public or civil service. You can check out this statistical fact,” he said.

The former chaplain said the force currently has 102 trained pastors and imams while places of worship for officers and their families have been established in all police formations and barracks throughout the country to enable them easily connect spiritually with God. “No cross no crown,” they say.

There is no success without challenge; the chaplaincy has got its successes and failures to learn from and become better in the future,” Fagbohun noted, adding that the force has outlined measures to ensure the continued growth of the chaplaincy.

He said the easy accessibility to places of worship is of huge benefit to the officers, who do not have to leave the places of their assignment in order to fulfil their spiritual and religious obligations.

Fagbohun also warned other religious leaders not to attempt to take over the police chaplaincy, saying no particular denomination could lay claim to its ownership.

He said such moves would be viewed as trespass and an attempt to take over police administration of the chaplaincy. “Our stand in dealing with this, which we still reiterate here, is that the police chaplaincy is not a religious organisation or an appendage of a particular denomination.

“It is purely an administrative section of the Nigeria Police meant to oversee the spiritual growth of the officers and men while coordinating religious matters within the force.”

http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/corruption-not-peculiar-to-us-police/

Fresh facts emerged yesterday as to why the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) redeployed its Lagos State Commandant, Mr. Shem Obafaye.

Although NSCDC told journalists that Obafaye’s redeployment was part of the routine in the Corps, an impeccable source said in Abuja that the commandant was not redeployed because of the ill-fated interview he granted to Channels Television.

According to the source, Obafaye personally applied to be redeployed from Lagos State in the wake of the bad publicity generated as a result of the television interview.

The source said because of the overwhelming negative publicity generated by the interview, Obafaye applied to be allowed to swap positions with his Oyo State counterpart, Mr. Adesuyi Clement. He said: “Mr. Obafaye actually applied to be redeployed due to the bad publicity he got after that interview. So, he is going to be in charge in neighbouring Oyo State.

He merely swapped with his Oyo State counterpart, having obtained approval to do so from the appropriate quarters. “If you were the one in the circumstance, I guess you will want to opt out. Naturally, he is very media shy. Then the clash with the police also came up, focusing a lot of media attention on the command again.

He was not redeployed as a form of punishment.” NSCDC Public Relations Officer, Mr. Emmanuel Okeh, said that for reasons which could hinder one’s official operations, an officer of that cadre is free to make such an application.

Obafaye became an object of public ridicule after he could not recollect his organisation’s website during a breakfast show on Channels Television.

http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/my-oga-at-the-top-why-nscdc-redeployed-lagos-commandant-obafaiye/

President Goodluck Jonathan has once again promised that the 2015 general elections would be free and fair. Jonathan said that there was no alternative to fair election, given the premise that there could not be peace without justice.

The President, who spoke yesterday at Mpu, Enugu State, said it was almost impossible to guarantee good governance without free and fair election. According to him, it is the level of political manipulation that breeds bickering among politicians.

The President was at Mpu, Aninri Local Government, for the dedication of the All Saints Anglican Covenant Church built by Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu. Jonathan said his administration was determined to make a difference in the lives of Nigerians. He said: “You cannot talk about good governance where the elections of people are manipulated; you cannot steal a mandate and turn round to say that you can govern well.

“Lawyers will say you can’t build anything on nothing. If your coming to power from councillorship to Presidency is based on manipulation, there is no good thing you can do there.

You cannot go and celebrate. “First and foremost, people must vote for you and you cannot talk about doing something good without their support. “It is actually during the military that they use big guns to overthrow those with small guns and take over. In the political dispensation, you must be properly elected, we must make sure that electoral processes are sanitised and the votes of Nigerians count.

“I know the kind of statement people make each time we leave here to other places; sometimes I feel so humiliated, and now the story has changed. “What I can promise Nigerians is that with your prayers, we have our challenges no doubt, but most countries have their challenges, that we will make those little changes that will make a difference in our lives.”

Jonathan decried the tendency of Nigerians to abandon the country for others because of the challenges confronting it, stressing that building a virile future was the collective responsibility of all and sundry. He said: “If we leave Nigeria and go elsewhere where we have all kinds of friends who may use business passports that can give you automatic entry into countries, but they still regard you as a Nigerian.

You cannot fit in properly until you come home. “We have talked about building the church, let us join hands and build a nation that our children, grandchildren and Nigerians unborn will be happy, irrespective of provocation and political differences.

“Just like the primate said, every leader comes and goes but as a leader, you pray that you leave behind something solid. If we progress from here, the whole country becomes highly developed.” The President praised Ekweremadu for building the church, which he likened to the one built by Solomon for God in the Bible.

Primate of the Anglican Communion, Rt. Rev. Nicholas Okoh, in a sermon, said the Nigeria’s problems were intractable because of human manipulation, adding that her people had not used her numerous religions to build an enterprise that could impact on development

http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/2015-polls-will-be-free-fair-jonathan/

The Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, has threatened to declare full scale war against the North over the killings of Ndigbo by Boko Haram members. MASSOB leader, Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, who issued the threat, said the killings had continued to assume more dangerous dimension daily with Ndigbo receiving the highest casualty.

Uwazuruike warned that MASSOB would soon engage the North in a bloody war to avenge the killings of innocent Ndigbo, doing their legitimate businesses in the troubled zone.

Speaking at the wedding ceremony of the daughter of former Chairman of Imo State Council of Traditional Rulers, Eze Cletus Ilomuanya, in Obinugwu community in Imo State on Sunday, the MASSOB leader, however, assured the Hausa community in the South-East of adequate protection, disclosing that there won’t be reprisal attacks.

He said: “The Hausa community living in the South-East should not be afraid, no one will attack them.

We are not going to resort to reprisal attacks but will soon declare a full scale war against the North. We can’t take it anymore. We will take the war to their doorsteps now.” Uwazuruike noted that the Nigerian government had failed in its responsibility of protecting the lives and property of Nigerians, particularly Ndigbo living in other parts of the country, especially in the North.

The MASSOB leader said although there were many Igbo still living in the North, he was happy that many of them, especially women and their children, had heeded his call to return home.

He said: “Many of them are still there because there is nothing they can do; that is where they are eking their living.” Over 50 Igbo traders were killed in a recent attack on a motor park in Kano when suicide bombers blew up a Lagosbound luxury bus. Meanwhile, Imo State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, has called on Christians to pray for peaceful co-existence, unity and progress.

Okorocha said in an Easter statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Mr. Ebere Uzoukwa, that the celebration of the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ called for sober reflection considering the challenges threatening the country’s unity.

He said: “As we celebrate this year’s Easter, may I urge Christians and Nigerians to pray for peace, unity and progress. The celebration of the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, our saviour, calls for sober reflection and prayers especially on the current challenges threatening the unity of the Nigerian nation.”

http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/well-soon-declare-war-on-north-massob/

The Primate of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, the Most Reverend Nicholas Okoh, yesterday described the Boko Haram sect as evil forces challenging the destiny of Nigeria, saying that by the power of resurrection of Jesus Christ, it shall become a thing of the past.

Okoh disclosed this in his sermon titled: “Alleluia! Christ is Risen,” at yesterday’s Easter celebration at the Cathedral Church of the Advent, Life Camp, Gwarimpa, Abuja.

The Primate likened the killings in the northern part of the country to the situation in the time of Jesus Christ, “when the old order (the Roman Empire) was struggling with the new order, which was Christ Jesus,” adding that Christ prevailed, therefore, Nigeria will prevail over the forces of darkness.

The cleric expressed confidence that the deadly sect might for a while seem to be succeeding, “the mighty hands of God will cut them off,” he said.

He continued: “The problem had been holding us down that we will not make progress, right from independence, if you consider the trouble we have gone through, the number of people that died during the civil war. And now some groups have decided that, there will be no rest, killing people unabated, something is instigating them. There is power that we do not see that is trying to hijack the destiny of Nigeria.

“We may look at them as foreign intervention, we make look at them as people from within, and there is evil force that is trying to hijack our destiny. And it was like that in the time of Jesus, the old order was struggling with the new order – Jesus was representing the new order by bringing people to God, and this old order (the Jews and the Roman Empire) were pulling things down.

“At the moment we are going through a tunnel and it is very dark, we hardly see, some people are behind this, evil forces are behind this, but Jesus rose on the third day and overcame the power of death, this Boko Haram will become a history, he said.

http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/evil-forces-threatening-nigerias-destiny-anglican-primate/

She wanted to be a lawyer but was admitted into Abia State University to study English Language. Two years into her university education and against her wish, her mother took a rare step that changed her life till today. Ngozi Braide, the Police Public Relations Officer of Lagos State spoke with YEMISI ADENIRAN on how her mother forced her to join the police at age 19, her experience so far and why she feels every family should produce at least a police officer in Nigeria. Excerpts:

Not many women desire to be police officers. What influenced your decision?

I never wanted to be a police officer. As a growing child, I wanted to become a lawyer. I love lawyers up till now. When I was admitted into the university, Abia State University, I was to study English Language and I just thought, well, that was closer to the Law I wanted to study.

I still had my eyes on Law but something else happened along the line. I was at my 200 level when my mother suddenly asked me to stop and join the police force. I was shocked, very shocked. I thought it was a big joke, I mean a bad joke, a bad dream that I would wake up from shortly after but it was not so. She insisted.

As a matter of fact, she had already obtained a form for me to be a cadet inspector. I was unhappy. I never thought of this, we never discussed it, only God knew why she came up with that decision but she insisted and here I am today.

Was your father in support of her decision?

Yes, he was. They are always together in their decisions. That is why it is difficult for any child to hide under any of them against the other. Once they are both convinced and concluded on an issue, they will insist. He couldn’t help me, I mean save me from my mother. I was just in between the two of them so, I had no choice but to dance to their tune. I was just 19 years old then but I finally commenced training at the police academy at age 20.

How will you describe your parents?

Like I said, they have one voice. They are both into business and they love God. They brought us all up in the fear of God.

They are comfortable and so, we grew up in a comfortable home. We are not too large a family, we are six in number. They are both strict. We didn’t mingle with others. I mean we didn’t just go and visit people like other children did. Once we were back from school, we stayed indoors to do our school assignments, read, do our domestic chores and generally played with ourselves in the house.

There was nothing like going to play with one friend or the other just because one is less busy or because our parents were not around. We had no such luxury. If we must visit, we did it as a family; we did it together. They were very disciplined and thought us to be disciplined. We didn’t have chance to do other things other kids did, it wasn’t easy but I thank God everything ended well.

What was the experience like at the academy?

It was not easy at all. We were made to pass through a rigorous training mentally, academically and physically. We were thought how to be disciplined. I went for my mobile training in Maiduguri and this lasted two years. Many failed and had to stay back to repeat the training all over.

How does it feel to be a police officer?

I must confess here that I am grateful to God for that decision that He made my mother to take on my behalf. It was one decision that I will forever be grateful to my mother for. I never wanted it then but now, I think I am the happiest person in a wonderful profession.

I don’t think I could have a better profession than what I am doing. I am so passionate about the job, I love it and I am fulfilled by it. God knew why He allowed my mother forced me to be a police officer. You may not understand like many wouldn’t but I tell you, it is the best job anybody can have. I’m proud of the profession and I advise every family to have a police officer at least. It is one job that allows you serve your people. There are many people who committed crimes without knowing that it was a crime. You have the opportunity of putting then through.

It is a thing of joy to save people in distress, trouble. It is good to have people look up to you for help. Though I am not a lawyer, as a police officer, I am into a humanitarian job. We both put smiles on people’s faces. Crime is different from sin. Right from when you are a child, you know what sins are. Lying, for instance is a sin but not a criminal offence.

There are so many people who commit crimes without knowing. When you sit them down to put them through, they are glad to know and they make promises not to go near such crimes, genuinely too. These set of people will go out again to spread the gospel to others.

Why do you think your mum said you should train as a police woman?

I really wouldn’t know but I must tell you that because she is my mother, she must have seen a trait or a tendency that convinced her that I would be better off as a police officer. That’s why I am advising parents, mothers especially to take their time to study their children and know their peculiarities, their weaknesses, their strength and all. It will make them to assist their children right when it comes to the issue of career choice.

Imagine the bliss that the seemingly wicked decision she made many years ago has brought upon me today. If she had not taken it then, I may not be where I am today. Most parents today are not where they are supposed to be, they are not contributing to the right growth of their children. Painfully, many are looking up to their children for succour both financially and otherwise.

This is wrong because it is supposed to be the other way round. If a parent is depending on his or her child for financial help when the later is yet dependent on himself or herself, God helps the child not to be involved in crime.

Parents should do all they need to do both in prayers and in action to pilot their children to esteemed positions. It is in their duty. A parent who will strive to do all things possible for his or her children to become well placed in life will also enjoy at old age. More time, I advise, should be dedicated to the children.

Help, somebody!

http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/help-somebody/

The nation erupted with cheers when Elderson Echejile opened the floodgate of goals with a perfect header at the semi-final match against Mali at the recent African Cup of Nations in South Africa. But unknown to most people, it was a huge sacrifice for the country as a research has now revealed that such heading of the ball may increase the risk of brain damage to football players.

The research conducted at the University of Texas, US, revealed revealed that heading a football repeatedly may cause mental impairment or “mild traumatic brain injury of the frontal lobes”. The researchers however point out that more research is needed to determine whether the changes are long-lasting or temporary. But the findings indicate that increasing amounts of playing time worsen performance.

The study involved a group of 12 teenage female football players and a matched group of non-players. Each undertook a simple computer screen task designed to test subtle levels of mental functioning. Participants had to react to the random appearance of a white square by touching a point on the opposite side of the screen. Performance was measured by timing the speed of the responses.

Before the test, girls who played football were given a practice session during which they headed the ball a number of times. The study showed that the football players were significantly slower at the task than non-players.

However, both groups performed equally well in another task that involved touching the white square where it appeared. This test involved a more instinctive response with less thinking required.

Factoring in the number of hours spent playing football each week showed that more games and practice sessions led to slower responses.

Long-term mental impairment is known to be a risk in high-contact sports such as boxing, which involve head jarring that can cause loss of consciousness. But until now it has not been clear whether the much less violent impact of a football on the head could be harmful.

Dr Anne Sereno, from the University of Texas, and colleagues wrote in the online journal Public Library of Science ONE: “These findings suggest that even subconcussive blows in soccer can result in cognitive function changes that are consistent with mild traumatic brain injury of the frontal lobes.”

Numbers of hours per week playing football had a significant effect on response time, while the number of years taking part in the sport had a marginal effect.

The researchers added: “Further study is needed to track soccer players for longer periods to evaluate if these changes are transient or longer lasting, if they are dependent upon repeated sub-concussive blows, and if they generalise to male soccer players.

“To our knowledge, these results provide the first evidence that even subconcussive blows in soccer could lead to measurable, even if possibly transient, cognitive changes in young soccer players.” Dr Serrano hailed the findings as a means of identifying possible neural disorders caused by playing sport.

She said: ‘The app used in our research may be a quick and effective way to screen for and track cognitive changes in athletes it could also have broader applications in clinics or out in the field.’

http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/heading-football-can-cause-brain-damage/

Yes, he is still in the hospital

Read and watch the painful story of Emmanuel here

http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/20-year-old-kidney-patient-cries-out-for-help/

The lives of 850 pupils of Kadara Junior Grammar School, Ebute-Metta, Lagos, is now in danger as the classroom block under which they are learning could cave in any time.

The structure, which also serves as office to some of the teachers in the school, including the principal could, at any time from now, collapse according to building experts. Some of the pupils and residents of the area, said the crack on the walls and the persistent vibration of the building is enough for government to relocate the pupils to avert the looming calamity that may come from such collapse.

Speaking with National Mirror, a staff of the school, who did not want to be mentioned, said the school management had, on several occasions, appealed to the state government to rehabilitate the school, but was yet to get any favourable response.

It was gathered that the buildings, which were separated initially, were merged by the Schools’ Rehabilitation Programme, an agency under the state Ministry of Works and Infrastructure. National Mirror investigation also revealed that each of the 12 classrooms has between 85 to 94 pupils.

An official of the school said the school management had been told not to worry about the crack. “They came here from Alausa to tell us that the crack was as a result of the joint, because the buildings were initially separated before it was joined together.”

But a JSS3 pupil told National Mirror that the building vibrates intermittently, adding that they are scared of its imminent collapse. She confirmed that about 87 pupils are in each class. When National Mirror visited the school premises, it was observed that some pupils are oblivious of the danger around them. “Each time we are in the class, especially when heavy duty trucks are passing by, the building would vibrate.

We don’t know why the school management or the state government has not done anything about it.” Meanwhile, residents of Cemetery Street have raised concern about the building, wondering why the crack of a classroom block will be left unattended to by the state government.

Efforts to get government officials in the Ministries of Works and Infrastructural Development and Education to react to this, proved abortive as officials declined to comment, saying they had been barred from talking to journalists.

http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/danger-as-850-pupils-learn-under-dilapidated-structure/

Police dispel rumour of headless corpses

http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/police-dispel-rumour-of-headless-corpses/

Leader of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger delta (MEND), Henry Okah was today handed a 24-year jail sentence by the South Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg.
Judge Neels Claassen said the state had proved Okah’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt stressing that his (Okah’s) failure to testify meant the evidence against him remained uncontested.
On January 21, the court found Okah guilty on 13 counts of terrorism, including engaging in terrorist activities, conspiracy to engage in terrorist activities, and delivering, placing, and detonating an explosive device.
Okah was charged in connection with two car bombs in Abuja in which 12 people were killed and 36 injured on October 1 2010.
The second bombing took place in Warri on 15 March 2010 at a post amnesty dialogue meeting. One person was killed and 11 seriously injured.
Reports said Claassen sentenced Okah to 12 years imprisonment for each of the bombings and 13 years for the threats made to the South African government after his arrest in October 2010.
The 13 years would run concurrently with the 24 years.
Okah denied any involvement in the terrorist acts, claiming the charges against him were politically motivated.

Source: http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/henry-okah-jailed-24-years/

No plans to raise corps members allowance-DG

http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/no-plan-to-raise-corps-members-allowance-dg/

Hon. Opeyemi Bamidele is the Chairman, House of Representatives’ Committee on Legislative Budget and Research. In this interview with AYODELE OJO, he speaks on the opposition to his governorship ambition in Ekiti and the need for budget law in Nigeria. He also chides Senator Babafemi Ojudu for his comments on the state of the nation. Excerpts:

How do you see the statement credited to Senator Babafemi Ojudu that it will take God’s intervention to solve Nigeria’s problems?

Of all he said, I chose to react to two conclusions. The first has to do with the state of the nation and the allusion that it would take God himself to come down and solve the Nigeria’s problem. I want to say that I found that hypocritical and disservice to the people of Ekiti Central who elected him into office. For the record I want to say again, that I ran for the senatorial race in Ekiti and by the grace of God and the support of the people, I won the primaries of the party. Again for the record, I want to say that in the overriding interest of ACN and the appeal made by the national leadership of the party, I chose to be the good boy of the party and conceded the ticket not to Babafemi Ojudu but to the national leadership of the party.

I am personally amused by the style Senator Ojudu has adopted. All the issues he raised in his interview I believed were issues that he could use the floor of the Senate to address. If you are elected as senator and in one and a half years you cannot be found to have spoken two times and if you are elected as a senator and in 21 months all you have is one motion to your credit on NSCDC which is to be debated by the Senate. If in 21 months you have not been able to state any categorical position and there is no policy statement that can be credited to you and you are using the pages of newspapers to condemn everything being done in the Senate, condemn the leadership of the Senate, condemn the Presidency and conclude that only God himself would have to come down to solve the problem of Nigeria, I feel that is disservice to the nation and to the people who elected him and as far as I am concerned, the Senate rules are clear, they provide for point of order; the rule says a point of order must be heard at all times.

Another issue Ojudu raised was that all the members of the National Assembly from Ekiti except you have endorsed Governor Fayemi for a second term. Why are you not endorsing the governor?

As far as I am concerned, the issue is not whether or not the two senators and five other House of Representatives members from Ekiti have endorsed Dr. Fayemi for a second term. I consider it extremely unfortunate that in the last one year, people have tried to make the possibility or otherwise of Governor Fayemi spending a second term in office as an issue. I feel they have been unfair to the nation and Ekiti State and I also don’t think they are doing Dr. Fayemi any good. We had his one year anniversary in office on the October 16, 2011 and some characters from that ceremony had begun to distribute leaflets and souvenirs announcing the second term bid of the governor. I thought it was immoral. I have no apology if my being objective to this style has attracted the wrath of some people. For me, there has to be a clear line of demarcation between governance and politics. Politics has to do with our own narrow, sometimes selfish political or ideological interest while governance has to do with overriding public interest, regardless of political, ideological, religious or ethnic affiliations. And I feel that there should be a time for politics.

You cannot convince me that one year into office, you can spend the next two or three years making rigorous issues and campaign about second term. If you do that, you will mislead the governor and create a bad image for the administration. That is my own position on Ekiti and I have no doubt and I want to say it for the record that I have no objection to anybody endorsing Governor Fayemi for a second term but I am convinced that one million endorsement from Senator Ojudu cannot translate to an additional vote for any aspirant. I am talking of a senator who was elected on a senatorial district that comprises five local governments – the general election results are there; I scored 47,000 votes to go to the House from two local governments and Senator Ojudu scored 57,000 to go to the Senate out of five local governments.

http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/why-im-running-for-ekiti-governorship-bamidele/

Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State yesterday promised to donate N2 million to each of the families of the teachers killed by some gunmen in Monday’s separate attacks on three secondary and primary schools in Maiduguri metropolis.

Governor Shettima equally promised that the government would donate N200, 000 to each of the five other teachers injured in the attacks

The governor, who spoke while inspecting the affected schools, said the gesture was not meant as compensation for the dead and surviving victims of the attacks, but to enable the families meet their financial needs. He also visited the injured victims at the hospital, promising that the government would offset their medical bills.

Shettima said: “The state government will equally cater for those who were critically injured and required to be flown abroad for treatment.” The governor sympathised with the surviving victims and wished them quick recovery.

He also prayed God to grant the souls of the deceased eternal rest. Governor Shettima, however, said his administration would not relent in its efforts to provide quality education for young people, adding that the attacks would not in any way discourage the government from achieving the goal.

Principal of Government Secondary School in Mafoni, Malam Babagana Ali, who received the governor, said three gunmen stormed the school and fired several shots at two female teachers.

Malam Ali told Shettima that all the victims died on the spot, while the assailants fled the scene before the arrival of security agents.

Meanwhile, residents of Maiduguri have called on the government to initiate effective security strategies to curtail further attacks on both public and private schools.

They expressed fear that if adequate measures were not adopted to stem the ugly trend, children would be forced to stay at homes.

http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/shettima-promises-slain-teachers-families-n2m-each/

I just finished reading an interview with the President of the Republic of Malawi, Mrs. Joyce Banda, who will be one year in office on April 7, having come to power after the death of President Bingu wa Muntharika to whom she was deputy. I thought I should share this with fellow nairalanders:

Below are excerpts from the interview:



You did something unusual when you sold your presidential jet and the exotic Mercedes Benz cars in the presidential fleet. What was the motivation for that and in the light of your many travels abroad, looking back would you say that selling off the plane was a good decision?

It was not a good decision to sell the president trial jet, but one I had to take, I didn’t have a choice. Actually, a plane for the presidential is not a luxury, it is a must. But all Malawians made a decision that we are going to make sacrifices. I spoke to all Malawians: ‘Are you ready for us to take the tough route into the future in order to prosper? We need to devalue, to do this, are you ready?’ They said yes. The first person to demonstrate it was me. Therefore, I had to make that sacrifice. I am told, a plane, whether it is flying or parked, you are losing money. Therefore, this is a great loss of money, so let it go.

Number two, I had to cut my salary by 30 per cent. I just have to demonstrate to Malawians that I can make that sacrifice. I just gave up my salary; in fact, I get a token now, for your information, $2,000. So, I am not here because I want to make money, I gets $2,000 as monthly salary and I don’t even see it because at the end of the day, I pay school fees for 2,200 girls. So, I just send it to the schools and God looks after me. My vice president equally did the same. Suddenly, I found that it is getting down. Everybody realises we have a responsibility, a duty, everybody is suffering. So, selling the presidential jet was a must. I know that another president will come and build this economy, we shall prosper. And I shall get out because I have to leave, I can’t be here forever. Another person will come and buy himself a plane. I have no problem with that but at that point it will make sense. We will have a plane, we can run it, we will have the resources and everybody will be living a better life.

Source: http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/i-earn-2000-monthly-malawian-president/

Sorry, I forgot to include the source of the article. Here is the link:
http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/nigerian-governors-are-richer-than-their-states-bakare/

Pastor Tunde Bakare was the vice presidential candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) in the 2011 elections. The presiding pastor of the Latter Rain Assembly and the convener of the Save Nigeria Group (SNG) speaks on the merger of opposition parties, the Goodluck Jonathan administration, corruption and other national issues in this interview with AYODELE OJO. Excerpts:

I went through a book, Accidental Public Servant written by Nasir El-rufai which you wrote the foreword; what actually struck you in the book?

The reason why Nigeria has been in the woods up till now is what struck me; that we have so many quack doctors, trying to fix the nation’s health. They are only there for themselves; with very little regards for the rest of us. If your doctor is quack; you don’t get well.

Because of your condition, he will take advantage of your trust in him to enrich himself at the expense of your health. So, whether you get well or not is not their business as far as they make their money. Nigeria’s leaders hate the people of this nation.

Are you not surprised with the conduct of the leaders going by the revelations in the book?

It doesn’t come as a surprise because we have to figure out who they are from the beginning; many of them have been like that from independence till now, only fewer exceptions could be called statesmen or those who truly set out for service and not for self.

But how do you see the denials; those who came out to say what El Rufai wrote were fictions?

If you want to do justice, attack the issues in the book; issues were raised and such issues were being highlighted. It is a good development. The denial means nothing; anybody can deny. When you put a hardened criminal in the duck and ask him if he is guilty or not guilty, the first thing he/she will tell you is not guilty because he/she is an accused person; according to our law until the contrary is proved.

If Atiku is not guilty, he will have the opportunity now to address the issue raised not what El Rufai said before the Senate or what he didn’t say before the Senate; that is not the issue. He listed areas that proved to him that the man is corrupt; let him now bring out facts and figures on what it is not. The denial means nothing.

Former US President Bill Clinton was in the country recently, and he spoke about poverty fueling insecurity and that Nigeria lacks good leadership which was responsible for the frittering away of the nation’s resources. What is your take on this?

Clinton can fly in and fly out of Nigeria, but don’t we know these things ourselves. And do we have to wait for the opinion of Clinton to know what to do with the deep poverty in the country. He cannot diagnose the problem of Nigeria more than us and he should not cry more than the bereaved. We know the situation ourselves more than Clinton.

The South is poor, the North is poor, all the geographical zones, you find extreme poverty with exception of Abuja, because Abuja doesn’t produce but consumes everything that comes into the country. It was not Clinton that told us to go out to street, to protest when the need arose or in January 2012 when we went out to protest against government’s bad policy.

I respect Clinton as United States of America’s statesman. The truth is that the leadership of this country hates the people. That was the language of the Bible; that those who rule over you hate you.

Mrs. Oby Ezekwesili, a former Education Minister, recently accused the government of spending the reserves…

Rather the present Federal Government is planning to use ICPC to harass her, to look at her records when she was the Minister of Education. I wish them well if they will find anything against the woman; they can’t. Rather than facing the issue, they are distracting in different area to deal with side issues.

Why is that when Nigerians come out with fact and figures about how the system is been run, government always send the anti- corruption agencies after them?

They continue to do that in order to silence those that they know have skeleton in their cupboards, as I am speaking; others are speaking, why have they not sent their agencies against us? I have never had anything to do with the government of this country, not even a contract. They only do that to harass them to keep quite. And indeed, those who live in glass houses do not throw stones, but if you have nothing to fear, you face them head on.

How do you see the stealing of the pension funds and the trial of the accused?

I don’t want to get angry over all these things. It is a betrayal, because the years of labour of others rather being rewarded and compensated in their time of need after their retirement, they are now being deprived of their rights and entitlements.

In Nigeria, if you steal small you have yourself blamed, but if you steal big time, you join the league of big fish. That is what is happening in our country. There is no serious trial, but mockery and I don’t believe anything will come out of it.

What about a man accused of stealing billions of pension fund being given N750, 000 as fine?

What did they do to Mrs. Cecilia Ibru?

Her assets were saized.

And then, she has nothing to live on any more? Look, if I come to your public treasures, steal N40 billion and paid N20 billion back and you say I should go home, I will go and retire on the N20 billion balance. All of them that were sentenced for imprisonment term spent it in five-star hospitals. I say, there is no justice in this country.

Is this how it will continue?

Well, I am not sure; that depends on Nigerians, because it doesn’t look like Nigerians want to do something about it and those who are benefiting from it still want the show to continue. But there is a God who has purpose for this nation, a time is coming, when the oppressed cannot take it anymore; they will be able to stand up and say enough is enough.

At a time Nigerians are complaining about immunity clause for some public office holders, the House of Representatives is seeking immunity for its members. What do you think of this?

The immunity clause in our constitution is to enable public servants to serve without undue harassment but I remember during the election, we did say that one of the things we will look into is immunity clause.

He who comes to equity must come with clear hands. The immunity clause should be expunged from the constitution because it is allowing rogues to steal for eight years, before we have opportunity to hold them accountable, although nobody is holding anybody accountable in Nigeria anyway.

The 2015 elections are two years away. Are you contemplating participating in active politics again?

I don’t pray we continue like this till 2015. My prayer is that there should be deliverance before that time, because if we continue like this, then there will be self-



fulfilling of the prophecy of disintegration.

Are you talking about change of government or revolution?

Whatever it is, this madness must not continue.

So, you are not sure if you will participate in the 2015 elections?

With who? The collection of rogues, right, left and central?

Even with the progressives?

Who are the progressives in Nigeria; mention their names? Are you persuaded that they are progressives, progressive where, taking you where?

The progressives who formed the All Progressive Congress (APC).

If the devil becomes a pastor, Nigerians will attend his church, because they don’t know the true church and they cannot distinguish it from the synagogue of satan. Some of these governors are far richer than their states, because they are looting their states dry.

I read in the newspaper that former of Lagos State, Bola Tinubu do not own Oriental Hotel, Shoprite and others.

Who is interested in this in a decent society? Something is wrong; do they say Obafemi Awolowo owns the Cocoa House in Ibadan?

Has anybody alleged that? Do they say that his wife owns the Premier Hotel in Ibadan? The reason why you have to deny this is that your hands are not clean.

In the build up to the 2011 presidential election, there were reports that the leaders of the ACN gave a condition to back General Buhari; that you should write your resignation letter as vice president even before the election. Would you now be comfortable with the same group of people in the merger arrangement?

My dear friend, anybody can ask you to do anything they considered in their own best interest and it is left for you to see whether it is in your own interest. It is true they asked me to sign a letter resigning the post of vice presidential candidate of CPC and Vice President of Nigeria. And I prepared my own letter and I said to General Buhari and the CPC, if you don’t want me to be your candidate any more, you are free any time.

But I am not going to resign as Vice President of Nigeria, because I have not occupied that office. And they said that is what they want. I said, look this man will not bend his rule; I don’t want to join the perjurers who are no longer electable in Nigeria but want to destroy the opportunity of other people.

Sitting on the table with these people means nothing to me. I am not part of the merger committee. If the merger is being put together for the development of our nation and our people, may God let it succeed, but if is to continue this foolish, crazy, greedy aggrandizement, God will overturn it.

If merger has been put together by good people, it will deepen our democracy, at least we will develop a two-party system in Nigeria. But I don’t see the difference between the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors and the so-called progressive governors. You can ask question how much is the kilometers of road awarded as contract in Oyo State and who is doing the road. It is not Bayelsa where you will say there is too much water there.

Where are the progressive governors? These ones who are fruitful and everyone wants to buy his own private jet once he is out of office, how much were they worth before they came into power?

And how do they come by their massive wealth now that they are bragging all around?

I desire to see in my life time, a nation that works and I pray that God will give grace and opportunity to people who can make it work. I am not saying if a person like me is not there it won’t work. There are thousand others who are better than I am in this country, God will bring those ones into power.

Do you think Nigerians are prepared for a change?

It depends on what change we are thinking about. We can change for the worse. We are miles away. We are dancing into the lagoon and into the woods everyday. The blind is leading the seeing in Nigeria. But why will the seeing allow the blind to lead them? The moment they get there they change.

Even you now interviewing me, the moment they make you a Commissioner for Information, it is an opportunity for enjoyment. All the things you have written against me you will change. Ask Reuben Abati. Men have lost their honour because of temporary power. Must you sell your birthright because of a pot of porridge?

Patience Ijeh: With both hands paralysed, she writes with her legs to make six credits in WAEC
[b][/b]
She is a personification of God’s miracles in modern times having been born with her two hands paralysed. “God has done wonderful things for me since I was born. He opened doors for me and now I have faith that I can go to school and be a graduate,” Miss Patience Ijeh, joyfully testifies as LEONARD OKACHIE writes.

Her story is like that of David A. Paterson, captivating and compelling. Patterson was New York’s first black Governor, from 2008 to 2010, the fourth black governor in America’s history, and second blind governor (after Bob C. Riley of Arkansas). Paterson has been legally blind since infancy, unable to see with his left eye and having extremely limited vision in the right eye.

But in his condition, he said:”I have had this desire my whole life to prove people wrong, to show them I could do things they didn’t think I could do.”Like Paterson, Miss Patience Ijeh has every cause to convince critics that disability is not courage in the face of adversity but an ingenious way to live. Moments, her cell phone rang.

Amazingly, she picked it up with her teeth and with little assistance with her hands began a conversation with the caller. Shortly, she returned to her amazing story with infectious smiles.

“See my hands. Everybody thought it was all over for me. Due to the way I was born, I had said, I would never be successful in life, but God has proved otherwise. I have passed all my papers in the Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE), including English and Mathematics, even though I wrote them with my leg,” she spoke with an air of confidence.

She was born with both hands paralysed, a situation that forced her to use her right leg in writing. Now in her early 20s, Patience has developed her writing skills with the right leg since she was a child and surprisingly has been able to right faster and better than some of her classmates.

“I grew up to seeing and knowing that I have problem with my hands. I could not even know how it started. When I was in the primary school, I saw myself writing with the right leg. I then began to develop it. I usually place my book on the bare floor with handkerchief to prevent dust and would place my leg on it so it would not look rough,” she said.

After her primary education at Ikelike Primary School, Ogwuashi-Uku, Delta State, her zeal to acquire more knowledge took her to St. Roses’ Girls Grammar School also in Ogwuashi- Uku. While there, she became the cynosure of the entire school community. “Interestingly, they took me as one of them and treated me as a normal student. At school, all my friends would bring their notes and request that I help them write since I wrote faster than they did.

I was doing well academically,” continued Patience, a native of Ubulu- Okiti in Aniocha Local Government Area of Delta State. But what must have been responsible for the paralysis of her hands? She narrated her ordeal thus: “When I discovered my condition, I enquired from my mother the cause and she told me that it occurred during child delivery process.

She revealed that during her labour, I was pushing out with both hands rather than the head and since there was no facilities for Caesarean Section at the hospital, the medical team tried to push me back into the womb in order to make me stay in the right position for delivery”. She said her parents did not notice earlier that she had problems with her hands until when she was three months old.

She said it was at that time that they noticed she could not properly move her hands. With the rude shock, her parents took her to different hospitals, all to no avail. In fact, the cause of her hands paralysis was diagnosed at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), where experts tried all they could to restore them to life.

Read the rest of the story at http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/patience-ijeh-with-both-hands-paralysed-she-writes-with-her-legs-to-make-six-credits-in-waec/

The Federal Government has paid N80.7bn to an international technology company, Webb Fountaine, the service provider in charge of the Automated System for Customs Data, ASYCUDA, under the destination inspection scheme which took effect January 1, 2006.

The firm, with headquarters in Dubai, United Arab Emirate, UAE, specialises in improving government services through e-government systems, business process reengineering and leading edge information technology.

The company provides the software management for the ASCUDA 3.0, which is the cargo inspection platform approved by the World Customs Organisation under a seven-year Build, Own, Operate and Transfer contract, which expired December 31, 2012, but was extended by another six months.

In many other countries, customs administrations manage their system but this contract was entered into to make up for the inadequacies of the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, as it was then claimed that it would check revenue leakages, bring about efficiency and connectivity for all port stakeholders.

Under the second leg BOOT contract, which value is still top secret, in addition to training officers of the service, who are expected to take over the scheme, Cotecna Destination Inspection Limited, SGS and Global Scan System provide the Computerised Risk Management System, CRMS, and scanning services for all imports into the country through the air and seaports as well as land borders.

A report by the House of Representatives Committee on Customs, which rated the performance of the company low, said that the Federal Government pays a whopping $6m (N960m) to the company monthly “to merely manage the ASYCUDA software”.

This, therefore, translates to $504m (N80.7bn) for the seven-year period of the contract, which now terminates on June 30, 2013.

Chairman of House of Representatives Committee on Customs, Mr. Sabo Nakudu, had during a recent assessment visit of the DI contract performance, taken a swipe at Webb Fountaine over what he called poor execution of the contract.

Nakudu, who specifically frowned at the poor connectivity of other operators to Web Fontaine’s ASYCUDA software, alleged that its operations have been characterised by deficiencies in its service delivery.

Meanwhile, president of National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Mr. Eugene Nweke, who commented on the development, noted that most operators will not be surprised at the outcome of the contract, which he said was made a top secret at the beginning.

“It is obvious that such contract cannot stand the test of time. You will agree with me that it has failed to prevent revenue leakage, failed to enhance connectivity of other port stakeholders as claimed in the beginning. It is not stable, not robust and consistent as people were made to believe at the inception,” he said.

While commenting on the aspect of the contract that specifies the training of Customs officers, he noted that a few of the officers were trained, which he insisted was grossly inadequate to sustain the system.

It was also gathered that most of the officers trained under the scheme, who are described as privileged few, have all retired from the service.

NCS Public Relations Officer, Mr. Wale Adeniyi, said the authorities were concerned about the cost but said the Ministry of Finance was in the best position to talk about figures.

However, Mr. Paul Nwabiku, Special Assistant, Media, to the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, said last night that he was not aware of the amount being paid the company.

“I will need some time to get the information on that,” he told our correspondent on the telephone.

Source: http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/fg-pays-n81-7bn-on-customs-software/

In what can be considered an irony and poor sense of history an ironic twist, the old cabinet office building, which lies between Strachan and Moloney Streets in Lagos and once served as office of Nigeria’s first Prime Minister, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, is now in ruins, Sunday Mirror investigations have revealed.

The now dilapidated and apparently abandoned building also served as offices to the Prime Minister’s cabinet members, in the early 60s.

The three-storey structure is not only dwarfed by the sprawling pavilions of the Tafawa Balewa Square Complex that overlooks what used to be the PM’s office in the First Republic.

The ex-cabinet office lies desolate and it is a shadow of its old self. Though a section of the premises presently houses Nigeria’s Defence Ministry Liaison 0ffice, the premises have been overtaken by weeds and shrubs, as residents expressed the belief that the place now harbours dangerous reptiles and rodents.

Depicting its state of abandonment, Chief Imam at Central Mosque at the Trade Fair Complex, Lagos, Alhaji Taofeek Sanni, lamented:

“It is shameful that the Cabinet Office, which housed the old offices of the late Prime Minister, Alhaji (Sir) Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, lies desolate and in waste at the Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos.”

A section of the building has no rooftops, and the coatings have peeled off the walls. The cleric noted that it is a shame that such a historical monument had got to such a sorry state.

He remarked; “Like many other national Institutions, this edifice now belongs to a faded past. “We have no sense of history, in allowing the office of our only Prime Minister reduced to rubble. It is a national disgrace.

Yet, we proceed to celebrate 100 years of amalgamation. He who does not learn from history is doomed to relive it,” the cleric complained.

Another concerned Nigerian who spoke on condition of anonymity described the old cabinet office as an eye-sore and a disgrace to the nation. “The old cabinet office should be a national monument. It is a shame that it has been left to rot away.

It would have been better if we maintained it at least for our children to see. It is not supposed to be like this. It shows that we lack maintenance culture,” he added.

On his part, Pa Akinsola Saint Mathew Daniel told Sunday Mirror that the old cabinet office used to be a wonderful place.

His words: “I was born and brought up here on Strachan Street. My father owns almost the whole houses on this street. This is where I was born and bred. I was a boy when Alhaji Tafawa Balewa reigned from this premises.

“Until the Second Republic, the old cabinet building still played prominent role in governance. But its relevance began to diminish after the seat of government was moved to Abuja.”

Pa Daniel, who is described as ‘Father’ on Strachan Street, however recalled that its descent into dilapidation began in the early hours of one morning, between 4.30 and 5 o’clock, about five years ago.

“We saw fire billowing out of the Cabinet Office building; and since then, nothing has been done to rebuild it.

Things have been going bad,” he explained. “We don’t know where Nigeria is heading to. They just grabbed everything; and put fire in the once appealing building. The country is just in a big mess. Since then, nothing has been done. See the outside; see trees growing on top of the building.

They are supposed to have done something. Because they have a lot of such buildings in government and as personal possession, they don’t care about buildings like this,” he complained. He further noted that by virtue of the historical significance of the building, it was supposed to be a national monument.

“It is in a big mess but it seems as they are not worried. The country is careless; when something gets spoilt, they will just abandon it and take on another one without repairing the former. Not quite long ago, the LAPAL House got burnt too,” Pa Daniel lamented.

http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/shame-of-a-nation-balewa-late-nigerias-first-pms-office-in-ruins/

Former military President, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida yesterday said any 2015 presidential candidate would have to receive his blessings before emerging president of the country.

Gen. Babangida also explained how former President Olusegun Obasanjo was installed in 1999 as president, saying he was the best candidate at the time to fix the nation.

Babangida, featuring on ‘Guest of the Week’ on Liberty Radio (91.7), Kaduna said, he was the founding father of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and he would never disown the party.

He further commended the emergence of the All Progressives Congress, APC, pointing out that the merger was good for the polity and the unity of the country.

His words: “I will belong to those who will choose a credible candidate, a candidate that can lead this country. It is not difficult to find. Out of one hundred and seventy million people, there must be a candidate, that is what the constitution provides. If the party is silly and chooses the wrong candidate, the ordinary person is not silly. He knows ‘this man cannot lead me’, so he won’t vote for him. If you choose a wrong candidate, he stands the chance of losing.”

“The emergence of Obasanjo came about as a result of what happened in the country. The country was in a very serious crises and we had to find the solution to these problems. Therefore, we needed a leader, that leader who is known in the country. We did not believe in foisting somebody who is not known, so we looked for a man who had been involved in the affairs of this country, who held position either in the military or in the cabinet who had certain beliefs about Nigeria.

All of us that were trained in the armed forces, there is one belief that you cannot take away from us; we believe in this country because this is part of our training. We fought for this country, so when you have a situation like hast, you need a leader that has all these attributes, and quite frankly, he quickly came to mind, Babangida explained.”

The former military president maintained: “If Buhari and Jonathan become candidates, both of them will have to sell their ideas to us, the ordinary people, we (the voters) and they have not done that. I have enough time to think and I am thinking and they will be anxious to come and see me. They will visit me or any other person. This is what I intend to do. We are talking about a new and emergent scenario, so I will wait and see.”

http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/2015-whoever-will-emerge-president-must-receive-my-blessing-ibb/#!prettyPhoto

Are you diabetic and restricted to a meal of beans and unripe plantain – a meal most Nigerians living with diabetes are made to believe is the only right food for them? This piece of news should be of interest to you. Experts say you can eat any food you can lay your hands on available to you even with your condition. There’s however a caveat: you must do so in moderation.

This was revealed yesterday by Dr. Femi Oyegbile, a Permanent Secretary with the Lagos State Ministry of Health, during the launch of the insulin support centre at the General Hospital, Ikorodu, Lagos state.

The Insulin Centre is a one-stop shop set up by Novo Nordisk, a global health care company with its headquarters in Denmark: The centre will see to the conducting of diabetes care training for the key stakeholders such as doctors, nurses, pharmacists and peer educators, as well as ensuring availability of insulin at GHI. All these are to ensure that insulin is sold at affordable price – lower than N50 for a day use while patients are educated on how to live healthier lives.

According to Dr. Oyegbile, living with diabetes is neither a death sentence nor a restriction to living life to the fullest. “With proper education about wellness; people living with diabetes can still live normal and healthier lives” he revealed to National Mirror.

A Nigerian Mrs. Grace Ayokanbi confirmed Dr. Oyegbile’s stance. Speaking in an exclusive interview with National Mirror yesterday, she revealed that for the past 50 years, she has been eating anything and living a normal life.

“I have been living with diabetes for the past 50 years and have been eating and living a normal life. I was born with the condition because I inherited it from my parents.

“There’s no food a diabetic patient cannot take, if he or she has the right information at the finger tips as education about wellness is paramount to living a rich and fulfilled life notwithstanding the condition.

“For instance, unlike the general belief out there, a diabetic can actually eat eba, semo or wheat but when this is eaten, it must be followed by physical activities so that he or she can use the energy at that particular time. But the physical activities must not be so strenuous. It could be cleaning, mopping, being active in the kitchen or washing. At least, do something to burn down that energy” she stated.

You can never guess that Mrs. Ayokanmi is diabetic as she looks so beautiful, radiant and full of life. She says the secret to her youthful radiance is arming herself with vital information about wellness and the health condition.

For instance, she reveals further that one of the most important things diabetics will do for themselves in order to live life to the fullest as she is doing, is taking a lot of vegetables, water and fruits. And of course rest!

“The important thing is taking a lot of vegetables, a lot of water and a lot of fruits. And we need rest because it is not all the time we’re supposed to be active. But all these must be taken in the right proportion, that is, not too much and not too small. And we are not supposed to take all fruits because we don’t take the ones that are sweet; we take fruits like cucumber, garden eggs, and when in season, wall nuts”.

Records indicate that diabetes is emerging as the leading cause of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) with strong link to a large number of cases of heart attacks and hypertension, especially among black people. The diabetes situation in Nigeria is not different from the global trend which shows that the condition kills one person every eight seconds.

According to experts, no fewer than 239 million Africans between the ages of 20 to 79 years would be diagnosed with diabetes come 2030, while a large number of these will be Nigerians. Unfortunately, a majority of people with diabetes in the country do not have access to treatment thus dying in silence while those who do, spend nothing less than 20,000 naira every month on medication. This is a major issue the Novo Nordisk insulin centre is addressing. According to the company’s Vice President, African Gulf and India, Mr. Mads Bo Larsen, “the centre targets low income earners living with the condition in order to alleviate the burden of affordability of their medication since insulin will be sold at very reduced rate in the centre. And this, with time, will be replicated all over the country”.

This ailment which does not discriminate against age, race and sex is responsible for no fewer than four million lives lost every year, no fewer than one million amputations done in a year as well as most of the manpower hour lost in most organizations worldwide. It is actually one of the major underlying causes of death among those living with other ailments. Worldwide, diabetes has been discovered to be one of the five major killers of humans at all age levels.

Even four-year-old kids are today being diagnosed with type 1 diabetes requiring them to take two injections a day. Unfortunately, most of these people do not even know that they are diabetic.

Source:http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/diabetic-eat-what-you-like/#!prettyPhoto